Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living [Hardcover]

Henrietta Spencer-Churchill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2008

Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, noted authority on using traditional style in contemporary settings, examines how the Georgian era is inspiring today’s interiors. Associated by most Americans with Colonial Williamsburg or Jefferson’s Monticello, the Georgian style confers a sense of comfortable luxury that makes any home a haven, as well as a showcase. Proceeding room by room, she examines how updated Georgian style relates to contemporary living. In addition to the staple interior spaces such as living room, kitchen, and bedroom, the book uncovers new applications of Georgian style in such contemporary "must-haves" like home offices, media rooms, fitness rooms, and the transformation of the bath into the home spa.Each chapter is illustrated with photographs that demonstrate the meaning of pleasing proportions and good layouts, complete with detail shots of fabric swatches, color samples, and drawings from the author’s design portfolio. A key feature is the focus on design flow to bring consistency to the entire home, and how to juggle spaces for the less formal, family-friendly orientation that is the hallmark of contemporary living. Applying classic design principles to indoor/outdoor lifestyles and eco-friendly living is also discussed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Evoking the regal comfort of Colonial Williamsburg or Jefferson's Monticello...Henrietta Spencer-Churchill explores how an update of Georgian style can be adapted for contemporary living..." ~New York Living

"Henrietta Spencer-Churchill examines design principles and aesthetic preferences of the Georgian era and makes an incontrovertible case for their applicability today." ~Veranda

“Complete with interesting history about the evolution of Georgian philosophy and a design breakdown of stunning homes, Georgian Style and Design is a wonderfully informative and illustrative read.” ~Romantic Homes Magazine

“Whether your project is large, small, original or new-build, this book and its beautiful photography will provide inspiration and practical tips.” ~IDFX Magazine

About the Author

Henrietta Spencer-Churchill is the granddaughter of Winston Churchill. She lives in London and runs the highly successful design firm Woodstock Designs. She is the author of Classic Interior Design, Classic Design Styles, and Classic Entertaining, and frequently lectures on interior design.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847831639
• ISBN-13: 978-0847831630
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #777,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately, it's just "OK" ..., November 13, 2008

By 

Book Addict (Lovettsville, VA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living (Hardcover)

I had high hopes for this book. I have over 1000 books, and had preordered this one. However, if I had been able to see it in a store before ordering, I would not have purchased it. It's just "OK", nothing spectacular. I love her other books, but to me this book seems like it was produced simply to fulfill a commitment to the publisher. My advice: LOOK through the book in a store BEFORE buying from Amazon. You may like it enough to purchase. But don't feel like you are missing something great if you DON'T buy it.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Completely Georgian, Nor Particularly Contemporary, February 19, 2009

By 

Classicdude (River City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living (Hardcover)

Unlike Lady Spencer-Churchill's previous book on Georgian style, this entirely new work also includes houses in the United States in addition to houses in Great Britain. It starts out strong, showing wonderful historic examples including the newly restored interiors of Chiswick, but quickly loses steam with examples of the author's own designs for interiors that are hardly Georgian at all. A number of new houses are shown, including one in Atlanta that is vaguely in the neo-classical Russian taste! The author's decorating skills have improved in the ten or so years since the earlier Georgian book, but still not up to par with the best of either the U.S. or England. The inclusion of bathrooms and kitchens is the main gesture to contemporary living. A good if not great book; take a look before buying if possible.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice photo reference, August 9, 2010

By 

J. Marques (USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living (Hardcover)

I purchased this book in order to get ideas for our house. This book was a great starter reference. Keep in mind before buying though, this book shows (wealthy) contemporary houses that have implemented Georgian Style into their designs. It does not so much explain how to apply the style to your own house. We exaimed the details of the houses featured and picked and chose how we would apply it ourselves. Overall, I think it's a great book so long as one doesn't expect a step-by-step or DIY explaination. It has also proved to be a nice coffee-table book and a conversation starter. I would recommend this book.